This year EZRA USA had a record breaking amount of groups heading to Israel. The month of June at EZRA USA was full of many events and activities, amongst which four Taglit-Birthright groups embarked on a journey to Israel. Their journeys began like every other trip that sets out on this amazing ten day adventure. Forty participants from across different states, with similar but yet different backgrounds, who did not know each other or what lay ahead for them at the end.“40ko-Nozhki” the June 6th group, sang Israeli songs and played guitar with their soldiers in the Bedouin tents in the dessert. A law firm of “Yelena and Alex Cohen” always negotiated the shawarma deals at restaurants. They felt like they had it all. The June 13th group, also known as "No dry night ", were put to the test of body, mind and soul. They met Knesset members, participated in a mock IDF boot camp and even chipped teeth and sprained ankles; they did it all. On June 16th, "Who did??? Simon and You-did!!!" set out on their journey. For this group, the trip was definitely life changing for many of the participants. Many of the participants stated that unexpectedly they had made forty new friends and felt a deeper connection to their Russian-Jewish identities. Yudit one of the Madrich’s of this group said, “that one of the most touching moments during the trip was when the other Madrich, Simon,  was standing at the promenade overlooking Jerusalem and after he finished telling the group a story he said “Next year in Jerusalem”. This according to the group was a very touching moment because for many this was their first time in Jerusalem. The "Jewbies and Homework " group of June 21st, got to experience it all. They spent some time in Jerusalem and saw both the secular and religious parts of the holy city, got to eat lunch at an army base and learn all about the IDF thanks to one of their soldiers. The group was very diverse and became very close, almost a family. According to one of the participants, he had very little family and now had gained forty new family members. Three American-born brothers from this group got to connect to their Russian and Jewish side and bring it all back to their Russian grandmother.  Now looking back on the amazing journeys of all the groups and the bonds that they have made no words are needed to explain the amazing power of 10 days with 40 strangers in the most amazing land of Israel